15 Lumia 930 & Windows Phone 8.1 Tips

Microsoft’s Windows Phone 8.1 operating system didn’t exactly help smartphones made by other companies topple Apple’s iPhone dynasty. That being said, phones running the operating system are finally competitive with the iPhone in terms of features and extras – something that wasn’t easily said about it before the Windows Phone 8.1 update.

Windows Phone 8.1 added Cortana, the personal assistant that’s now on its way to notebooks, desktops, tablets and 2-in-1s with the upcoming Windows 10 update. Microsoft also added a File Explorer and common sense syncing that makes owning a Windows Phone instead of an iPhone a must for any Windows user.

Here are 15 tips for Windows Phone 8.1 and Windows phones of every cost and color, including the Nokia Lumia 930.

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The Best iPhone Alternatives Running Windows Phone – April

Windows Phone, the software that Microsoft users to power its own iPhone alternatives and the iPhone alternatives of others, is in the middle of a transition. At some point later this year Microsoft has plans to finally reveal a new flagship that many hope will give high-end Android phones and the iPhone 6 the competition they need. Until then, Windows Phones hardware makers are playing it low-key, releasing low cost iPhone alternatives where it makes sense and leaving the rest of their mobile ecosystem in stasis.

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Microsoft releases Windows 10 for phones preview build 10052 with major fixes

Microsoft has released a new build 10052 of Windows 10 Technical Preview for phones.

The latest build is a more minor update than build 10051, which was made available just a few days ago, and includes major fixes for the issues affecting Windows Insiders. There are no new features, but with the fixes added in, it is expected to make the build smoother.

Fixes in build 100052

Flight mode can now be enabled.
Users can now disable data connections.
The bug that caused phone's MMS settings to be lost after upgrading from build 9941.
The issue in which users couldn't download keyboards for additional languages.
The issue where the viewfinder in the camera app composed incorrectly on devices including the Lumia 1020.

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Microsoft issues new bug-fix-focused Windows 10 Mobile test build

Microsoft has rolled out yet another new test build of its Windows 10 Mobile release -- one that is focused almost entirely on quashing bugs.

The new Windows 10 Mobile build, 10052, is a follow-up to the last Windows 10 Mobile release (build 10051) which Microsoft made available on April 10.
The build released today, April 21, to Windows Insiders works only on select Lumia Windows Phone devices, as has been the case with the previous two builds.

The April 21 build does work on Lumia 520 devices. Microsoft temporarily had pulled build availability of the Windows 10 Mobile preview for Lumia 520, 525 and 526 devices following user reports of problems, including, in some cases, bricked phones, when attempting to roll back to Windows Phone 8.1 using the Windows Phone Recovery Tool.

The April 21 build seemingly still does not work on flagship Lumia Icon (929) or Lumia 930 devices, due to screen size/scaling issues. It also still doesn't yet support Windows Phones from any of Microsoft's phone OEMs.

Today's build includes fixes to a number of Windows 10 Mobile issues, including various data connection, MMS settings, and Camera Viewfinder issues.

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​Microsoft issues fix for Lumia phones bricked by Windows 10 Fast lane

Microsoft has released a possible fix for low-end Lumia smartphones that have been bricked after installing an early Windows 10 preview build.

It seems a shortage of memory in the Lumia 520 and Lumia 525 is behind the bricking of some of the units, after owners installed a Windows 10 Technical preview build, named 10051, released through Microsoft's tester Fast lane.

In an update on its Windows Insider Program site on Friday, Microsoft said only a "small portion" of Lumia 520 and 521 devices were affected.

Microsoft last week pulled down the test build for the Lumia 520, 525, and 526, following reports that some of the handsets were becoming unusable, typically after using Microsoft's Windows Phone Recovery Tool (WPRT) to roll back to Windows Phone 8.1. Affected devices were left with "no direct way for an end-user to check their device", Microsoft said.

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Microsoft Windows 10 Technical Preview update withheld: Users report bricking while downgrading to Windows Phone 8.1

The much anticipated Windows 10 Technical Preview software update is now rolling out across the globe.

However, things do not seem to be rosy for a section of users, as their devices got bricked after they tried to down grade to Windows Phone 8.1 from 10, using the Windows Phone Recovery tool.

According to a GSMArena report, and a posting on the official Microsoft Community blog, users of Lumia 520, Lumia 525 and Lumia 526 have reported problems. The phone is bricked while downgrading to the older Windows Phone 8.1 post installation of the latest Windows 10 for Phones Preview that is available via the Windows Insider Application.

These users have reported that their handsets were bricked while they rolled-back to Windows Phone 8.1 (after installing Windows 10 Preview) via the Windows Phone Recovery tool.

This has led to Microsoft temporarily stalling the roll-out of Windows 10 Technical Preview to Lumia 520, Lumia 525 and Lumia 526 users.

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Windows Phone 10 latest: Less stuff that does more - plus IE-killer Project Spartan

Hands On Last week Microsoft released Windows 10 Technical Preview for phones, build 10051, as part of its Windows Insider preview series.

This is by no means a stable build, especially on a low-end phone like our Lumia 635. The built-in apps crash from time to time and sometimes the entire OS freezes. Another common problem is chopped-off text.

That said, it does provide a look at Microsoft’s progress in implementing universal apps, which run both on desktop Windows 10 and on phones and tablets, as well as an update on how Windows 10 for phones is coming together.

There is plenty new in this release. It now runs on most Lumia 8.1 devices, as opposed to the short list previously supported, and includes Project Spartan, Microsoft’s new web browser. Other new apps include Phone, Messaging, People, Maps, Mail and Calendar.

One thing you will not find is the Office hub, which provided viewing and editing for Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents. This is because a more capable universal version of these apps is on the way. A preview of Universal Office is already available for Windows 10 on PCs, but Microsoft has more work to do in scaling it for the phone.

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The best-selling Windows Phone ever has Windows 10 preview pulled

Microsoft has been forced to temporarily cancel the Windows 10 preview for the world's most-popular Windows Phone, the Nokia Lumia 520. It follows reports from many users that their devices were bricked when trying to return to Windows Phone 8.1.

It isn't just the Lumia 520 that is affected. All of the phones in the 52x range including the 520, 525 and 526 are no longer eligible for downloading the recent Windows 10 preview release, build 10051.
This early build was only released last week after much anticipation. Many users have been waiting eagerly to run Windows 10 on their Lumia as the original build from a couple of months ago only supported a handful of devices.

The 520 is one such Lumia. Although one of the cheapest devices ever to launch in the Windows Phone world, this affordability has proven to be its greatest trait. It has attracted buyers young and old, including first-time smartphone owners, and brought in new people to the platform.
Popular in Asia and often owned by people "as a spare," Microsoft owes a lot to the 520 for actually selling in large numbers unlike its much costlier flagship devices such as the Lumia 930 or 1520.

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Why Microsoft fans should buy an iPhone over Android (and over Windows Phone)

Microsoft is still playing catch-up with its mobile business, being a distant third to Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS operating systems. That means many people choose an Android handset or an iPhone even though their desktop operating system of choice might be Windows.

While Microsoft is currently building a brand new version of Windows that should offer an even more cohesive experience on phones and desktops, Windows fans who don’t want to purchase Lumia or other Windows Phone devices would be better off buying an iPhone than an Android device.

In fact, in certain cases they might be better off buying iPhone instead of a Windows Phone model.


The main reason for choosing Apple’s top smartphone if a Windows Phone purchase is out of the question is app quality, Paul Thurrott argues. Microsoft’s “mobile first, cloud first” strategy is definitely one to watch, as Microsoft seems to have figured out how to better fight Apple and Google even without enjoying a massive market share increase with its smartphone business.

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Windows 10-ready Blu Win HD LTE now available from Microsoft

If you're in search of a new Windows Phone handset that features LTE connectivity and doesn't cost too much, you may want to check out the Blu Win HD LTE, which, starting today, is available to buy in the US via Microsoft Store.

The Win HD LTE is the upgraded successor to last year's Blu Win HD. The main differences between the two handsets are that the new one comes with LTE (obviously), and is powered by a quad-core Snapdragon 410 processor, instead of the Snapdragon 200 that's found inside the original model. Other than that, the Win HD LTE offers a 5-inch display with 720 x 1280 pixels, a 2 MP front-facing camera, 8 MP rear camera, dual SIM capabilities, 1 GB of RAM, and 8 GB of expandable internal memory. The smartphone measures 145 x 72 x 8.2 mm, includes a 2500 mAh battery, and kind of looks like it's been designed by HTC.

Currently running Windows Phone 8.1, the Blu Win HD LTE will be updated to Windows 10 once this is ready for an official roll out.

The grey and yellow versions of the Blu Win HD LTE can be bought right away, unlocked, for $199.99, while the white and orange variants are coming soon. If you don't need LTE, the original Blu Win HD is still available from Microsoft, costing $179.99.

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This fake Microsoft Surface phone is the flagship smartphone we want

Microsoft’s Lumia phones are the iMacs of smartphones: cheery, colorful slabs of plastic with the slightly manic perkiness of a preschool teacher. Wouldn’t it be refreshing if Microsoft offered something a bit more subdued for the mobile professional—something like... a Surface phone?

If you shouted “YES!” you’re not alone. Some Windows Phone users have clamored for the steely professionalism of the Surface lineup to make its way into the Windows phone lineup for years, and now graphic designer Nadir Aslam has provided a helping hand. Just check out these renders he’s dropped into a cleverly written faux marketing deck:

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Mobile game developer Kabam breaks pledge to Windows Phone and leaves the platform

As news of yet another developer parting ways with the Windows Phone platform, it might be time to put away the threats, pitchforks and torches and start asking some questions. Freemium game developer and interactive entertainment company Kabam is reported to have pulled out Windows Phone development stating in an email to Windows Central that “Kabam is now concentrating development on AAA quality games for Apple and Android mobile devices and has decided not pursue development for Windows Phones. Kabam is concentrating its resources on the biggest market opportunity, which is Apple and Android devices worldwide.”

While some Windows Phone users gut reaction to the news may be to curse or bad mouth Kabam, others are growing apathetic to the announcement. Games and apps come and frequently go  on the Windows Phone platform, but for some reason users are witnessing an increased amount leave in the last few weeks

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WhatsApp Voice Calling feature officially confirmed for Windows Phone users, rollout imminent

The much expected voice calling feature on WhatsApp is now active for Android smartphone users. This functionality is also expected to reach users of Apple's iOS within the next couple of weeks.

Now, in a new development, there is confirmation that the Voice Calling feature will be rolled out to Windows Phone users as well.

According to a WMPowerUser report, that quotes an official email sent out by folks at WhatsApp's customer support team, the Voice Calling feature will officially be released to Windows Phone users just like their Android counterparts. However, there is no indication of a timeline for the rollout.

The email from WhatsApp's support team (apparently sent out to a Windows Phone user) also mentions that the highly anticipated feature is currently being fine-tuned and customised by engineers at WhatsApp for Windows Phones.

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WhatsApp Free Download 2.11.688 Latest APK For Windows Phone

Mark Zuckerberg did a good thing by buying WhatsApp in February 2014, when he spent 19 billion to purchase this application. In only one year, the value of WhatsApp increased to 23 billion and with each new day, new people join WhatsApp to chat with their friends located in different parts of the world. There are over 700 million active users, but the higher percent is represented by the Android and iOS users, then the Windows Phone users come on the third position. Recently, WhatsApp released a new version for the latter category.

Good news for the Windows Phone users who can download the latest WhatsApp version, 2.11.688, which was published in the Windows Phone Store on April 1. The file, which has a size of 17MB, is compatible with Windows Phone 8.1, Windows Phone 8 and Windows Phone 7.5 OS, came with bug fixes, some minor improvements and the possibility to switch from your smartphone to your computer, using the web version, which was introduced at first for Android. To make this feature work, you need to open your computer’s browser and go to web.whatsapp.com, where you’ll see a QR code. Now, open your WhatsApp and go to its Menu, select WhatsApp Web and use your phone’s camera to scan the QR code. After the code is read and recognized, you will log into your account and your computer will sync with your smartphone, so you’ll see all your contacts and messages on your PC. When you receive a new message, it will be displayed on both devices, but the advantage of using the web version is that you can log off whenever you want, and continue chatting from your smartphone.

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WhatsApp To Introduce Voice Calling Feature On Windows Phone Soon

A few days ago, WhatsApp introduced the all new voice call feature in its app specifically for Android users. The feature is close to move on to the iOS platform where it deems to cater a larger audience. If Windows Phone users feel left out then we have the perfect news to lighten up your day. WhatsApp has pledged to introduce its infamous voice call feature to the Windows Phone family. Now Windows Phone users can experience call features on their favorite instant messaging application.

The reason WhatsApp emerged as a leader in its category is its ability to deny ads on the applications or remains adamant to. This grossed a huge number of users to make way to this application and enjoy a clutter free experience to chat.

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Microsoft brings Office Lens to Android and iPhone -- no longer Windows Phone exclusive

Windows Phone is Microsoft's mobile offering to the world, and some people love it. Unfortunately, the operating system's market share is extremely low, meaning many of the cool features and exclusives do not receive wide exposure. Slowly but surely, benefits that Windows Phone users pointed to as exclusives to the OS are being brought to competing platforms.

Today, Microsoft brings another Windows Phone exclusive to Android and iPhone -- Office Lens. Yes, the super-cool scanning feature is finally available to the large majority of mobile devices. Will you try it?

"Office Lens is a handy capture app that turns your smartphone into a pocket scanner and it works with OneNote so you'll never lose a thing. Use it to take pictures of receipts, business cards, menus, whiteboards or sticky notes -- then let Office Lens crop, enhance and save to OneNote. Just like that -- all the scanned images you capture from Office Lens are accessible on all your devices", says the OneNote Team.

The team further explains, "bringing Office Lens to iPhone and Android is a significant step for extending OneNote capture capabilities to more devices and endpoints. Get it for your iPhone, Android phone or Windows Phone today -- start scanning documents and whiteboards from the convenience of your phone".

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An iPhone user's (surprisingly positive) experience with Windows Phone

Just over a year ago, I experimented with an Android phone. I’d been curious about Android, and felt the best way to appreciate what it offers—and compare it to iOS—was to try it out in a real-world situation.

This past Christmas, a visitor proudly showed my his Windows phone, and I was intrigued. After getting a good tour of the Windows Phone OS, I decided to buy a cheap, unlocked phone and try it for myself. I’ve been using it off and on for the past two months. While I wouldn’t switch from my iPhone, I’m quite impressed by what Microsoft has done.

Getting the hardware
As with Android, there are lots of Windows phones to choose from. It’s not just a question of silver, space gray or gold; it’s a full line of phones at a wide range of prices, from multiple manufacturers. The phone I had seen at Christmas was the Lumia 930, Microsoft’s “flagship” phone, which is a well-built, attractive phone, but still about half the price of an iPhone. I didn’t want to spend that much money, so I opted for the £90 Lumia 535 (current price is the US, about $130–150). When I purchased it in January, the Microsoft-built Lumia 535 was the cheapest phone that shipped with Windows 8.1 Denim, the latest version of the Windows Phone OS.

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Here is another unannounced Windows Phone 8.1 Update 2 feature

Windows Phone 8.1 Update 2 will never get to most Windows Phones, but it certainly has a number of features which I wish was supported on my handset.

In the above picture we see another unannounced feature, demonstrated on the Lumia 640, which allows users to suspend their device by double tapping on the navigation bar.

This feature is particularly useful for those who want to preserve the buttons of their device for later resale, allowing users to both switch on and off their device without using any buttons at all.

See it demonstrated in Windows Phone Lover’s video below at the 3:30 mark.

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